Today's News

A job fair, organized by Congressman Bob Goodlatte and Congressman Rober Hurt, brought about 70 businesses, most of them with current job openings, to the Liberty Mountain Conference Center in Lynchburg Monday morning.

The businesses had jobs to offer ranging from those requiring little skill to those requiring advanced training. Employers and employees filled the Conference Center’s eight classrooms, which had been cleared of non-essential furniture to make room.

The contest that featured Blue Ridge Bagels as the prize fell through due to an insufficient number of entries. Those who did enter, however, really wanted the restaurant and one of them, actually a husband and wife team, ended up buying it.

Barry Kane teaches sixth grade science in Appomattox, so the restaurant will be an after school job for him. His wife, Cheryl, was an accountant for Lynchburg’s Department of Social Services. She will be the full-time manager.

Last week, on Aug. 1, the owners of Bacon Enterprises, which owns the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in Bedford, honored Dorothy Carter for 40 years with the company. It was exactly 40 years ago to the day that Carter and her first husband, the late Kennis King, were hired by Bacon to open the KFC restaurant in Bedford, serving as its managers.

Court Street United Methodist Church, with a dwindling congregation, closed after a final worship service on Nov. 19, 2011. There were only 10 members left. Now, the building sits empty, except for visits by Danny Thompson. Thompson, now 58, grew up in the church and has the key. He acts as the agent for the congregation.
“It’s hard, it’s hard,” he said. “Every time I come in here, I get choked up.”

One suspect in a May theft at the Taco Bell in Forest is in custody, another is being sought.

The robbery occurred when a masked male carrying a handgun entered through the drive-through window on May 23. Bedford County 911 dispatchers received a call a little after 11 p.m. that Wednesday night from the Taco Bell, 14867 Forest Road in Forest, reporting an attempted armed robbery.

Americans are desperately looking for any sign that our economy is on the rebound. They are struggling to find work with the national unemployment rate above eight percent for the last forty-one months. They are facing rising prices on everything from gas to groceries. While Virginians have been fortunate in that we haven’t been hit as hard as other areas of the country, we are in no way immune to these problems. Virginians, like all Americans, want to see a plan to create jobs and end economic uncertainty.

The following is my tribute to the life and legacy of a true American pioneer Astronaut Sally Ride. Perhaps her untimely death might help inspire us all to continue her work of educating and motivating young people.